Troupes coloniales

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French Colonial Forces
Troupes coloniales
French regulars of the Colonial Infantry disembarking in Madagascar 1895.
Active	1900–1961
Countries	French colonies and overseas territories
Allegiance	France
Type	Marines / Colonial troops
Role	Colonial warfare Amphibious warfare Expeditionary warfare
Engagements	World War I World War II First Indochina War Algerian War

The Troupes coloniales ("Colonial Troops") or Armée coloniale ("Colonial Army"), commonly called La Coloniale, were the colonial troops of the French colonial empire from 1900 until 1961. From 1822 to 1900 these troops were designated Troupes de marine ("Marine Troops" or just "Marines"), and in 1961 they readopted this name. They were recruited from mainland France and from the French settler as well as indigenous populations of the empire. This force played a substantial role in the conquest of the empire, in World War I, World War II, the First Indochina War and the Algerian War.